Missionary Update: Sheridan & Anita Stanton in Peru [July 2014]
Sheridan and Anita Stanton have served the Lord in Peru since 1983. Their main ministry is church planting and they have helped establish churches all over the country. Sheridan also works to train pastors and Anita works with the ladies’ ministry and developing children’s material.
July 7, 2014
Dear friends,
Two accepting Christ this past month, four added by moving their membership, and two weddings, means we have been busy here at the Calvary Baptist Mission-Church! Anita works long hours every day getting Sunday School material ready for the teachers and soon they will be able to decorate their new rooms at the new building. Everyone is getting excited about getting the building finished. However, it seems that the “small stuff”, finishing touches take longer and longer. Laying tile and painting on Saturdays has become the church’s custom!
Anita and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary on the 7th of June and celebrated the event by visiting the Iguazu Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil. This was a trip Anita has always wanted to make and by the generosity of some dear friends it became a reality for us. We hope to be able to do something very special again in another forty years!
The Calvary Baptist Mission Church surprised us with a beautiful commemorative plate recognizing our forty years of marriage; it was a touching moment for Anita and me to feel the genuine love these dear saints of God have for us.
We were also blessed to have a visit from some dear friends, Jim and Lou Griffin from South Carolina come and spend some time with us. They helped paint at the new building and also played tennis with me. They were a delight to have and we hope they come back again sometime.
Our gracious God continues to bless the work here in Huánuco, Peru. I invest a lot of my time every day in counseling. Seeing hurting wounded souls find victory in Christ is a very rewarding experience. I enjoy counseling very much and I am always looking for better ways to share the message of “abundant, kingdom living.”
My Monday night Bible class with the local Baptist pastors, continues. At this present time I am teaching a course in “Administration of a Baptist Church.” Many times this course has led to lively discussion based on personal experiences. This has been a very effective method for training the younger preachers. Anita and I pray you all of you frequently and hope you are basking in the blessings of God’s love and grace.
Being “in Christ” by God’s grace,
Sheridan and Anita Stanton
Apartado Postal 140
Huanuco, Peru
South America
(614) 500-8823 – Internet Number
sestantonperu[at]hotmail.com – Sheridan
arstantonperu[at]gmail.com – Anita
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Missionary Update: John & Alta Hatcher from Brazil [July 2014]
Missionaries John and Alta Hatcher have served the Lord in Brazil since 1955, planting over 70 churches that are still in existence.
June 30, 2014
Dear Brethren and Missionary Friends;
It is difficult to believe that this day says that one-half of 2014 is history. Let us be busy about our Lord’s work for time is short. Our temporary address is still:
615 Key West Ave.
Davenport, FL 33897-3600
(Our son, Paul’s, cell number is: 239.227.6551)
We are living with Paul and Wanda in the house he has rented until something permanent shows up. Alta and I appreciate all the care and help they are giving two oldies.
This last month we have had the blessing of visiting several long-time supporting churches here in Florida. We visited the Jordan Baptist Church in Sanford, Florida. Brother George Sledd is the faithful pastor as well as treasurer for BFM. We were happy to see old friends and enjoy their fellowship.
Last Sunday we visited the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Mims, Florida. Brother David Humphreys is the pastor. Brother Humphreys has been a long-time giving and praying friend. Our fellowship began in the 12-Ryan Baptist Church in the Detroit, Michigan area, where Brother Hafford Overbey was pastor.
On the Sundays we do not have engagements we are attending the Chapel Baptist Church where the pastor is Christopher Luppino. Last evening they had the final service of their VBS. It was a very enjoyable and spiritual service with emphasis on the value of the home.
CRUISE WITH FAMILY – Thanks to the planning and dedication of our son, David, and his wife, Pennie, we enjoyed a four-day cruise from Miami to Mexico and return. The time we spent with Paul, Wanda, David, Pennie, Kathy, Willa, (Wanda’s mother), and Lucas (Michelle Hatcher’s son), was great. A rare treat! Each day I had the opportunity to tell persons about The Three Crosses and how Jesus saves. Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
In the Precious Name of Jesus,
John and Alta Hatcher
615 Key West Ave.
Davenport, FL 33897-3600
jhatcher[at]uol.com.br
Phone: [Paul Hatcher mobile] 239.227.6551
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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [July 2014]
Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.
July 4, 2014
As we reflect on this 4th of July holiday, may we remember to pray for our country, its leaders, and our future. A couple of verses come to mind. One is Proverbs 14:34, which says “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” Another verse to consider is Psalm 33:12, which states “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” May we always remember to keep our country in prayer as we continue to serve the Lord. We hope that each of you have a great holiday, with friends, family, and others at this time.
We praise the Lord that we have arrived safe and sound back to Kitale. It is one thing to travel to Kenya, and another entirely to travel to Kitale. Kitale is around 7 hours north, and is an exhausting trip by itself. We are thankful that we arrived back and were able to recover from jetlag, although it took a couple of days. It was so nice to see friends in the missionary community and meet new missionaries who have come before we arrived back. We are so thankful for those of you who helped us in any way with our travels, and who prayed for us as we traveled. We greatly appreciate it.
Please be in prayer for my wife and the hospital ministry as she is waiting for her permit to be reviewed. We have applied for it, filled out the papers, and now are awaiting a response, hopefully by next week. We trust the Lord will keep the door there open as long as He wants her to serve there. Psalm 86:11 says “Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.” Thanks for your prayers for this ministry.
I thank the Lord for the plans that we have for this term in church planting. Lord willing, the plan that my partner Roger Tate and I have is to train Godly, qualified men to go out and start churches in Kenyan villages. We have rented a small room on the outskirts of Kitale town to begin our training. Please pray for us, that the Lord will lead and guide us in these endeavors. We can do nothing without Him, and we need help from Him each step of the way. We are excited about what God will do this term, and we will keep you updated.
Please also pray for the prison ministry, as I plan to go there soon to begin again, Lord willing. We lay all of our plans before the Lord, and trust Him each step of the way. He is so faithful, and it is a privilege to serve Him. God bless each of you for your interest in missions around the world. We will keep you updated. Please notice our change of address.
Serving in Kenya,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa, 30200
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Missionary Update: John Mark & Judy Hatcher in France [July 2014]
Missionaries John Mark and Judy Hatcher have been serving the Lord in Tournefeuille, France since 1999. They define their ministry as “disciple-making.”
July 5, 2014
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
We hope this finds you enjoying the Lord. What a privilege we have as God’s children with continuous access to our Father and Saviour and with His Spirit united to ours. It is also a wonderful honor to represent the Eternal God, Creator of all things to the people who live around us.
Just after writing our last letter we participated in the annual outdoor dinner of our neighborhood which takes place in the street in front of our house. We made new friends and were able to reconnect with some people that we have not seen for a while.
During the past month we have spent part of our time reviewing the past year and making plans for the coming year. We discussed what we would teach in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and Youth meetings. We determined changes that needed to be made in class groupings and how to effectively do what God has placed us here to do. We have also discussed ways that we can connect with the people that we are here to reach.
One of the things that Judy and I are going to be doing this coming year is an English Club to help young children in our neighborhood get started learning English. This is a result of a request made by the parents of these children. Judy and Amanda did this for several years in Tournefeuille and Judy and Wendy had an English Bible Club in the city of L’Union for several years. These have given us many long term opportunities. Several of the young people who now come to our monthly youth meetings are from families that we served in this way in the past. We follow the example of Paul who said, “I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” Judy also donated her time to teach English twice a week for several years in the past in one of our local public elementary schools.
English proficiency is required for anyone wanting to advance in white collar jobs and this is a need that opens doors for us. Parents are very interested in their children learning English to prepare them for the future. We want to serve them in this area to open the door to prepare them for eternity.
This is also a good time to remind you to pray for Philip, Amanda and their family, and Wendy who serve with us. Wendy is a single missionary who is supported by friends and churches in the US and Philip works as an engineer here to support his family while they serve with us. We thank God for your prayers and faithful support over many years.
Attendance in the services and Bible studies has been good and we see evidence of the Grace of God.
Serving with you for our Saviour in France,
John and Judy
John and Judy Hatcher
4, rue d’Aspin
31170 Tournefeuille, France
JMHatcher[at]aol.com
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Missionary Update: The Wacasers in Brazil [July 2014]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
Dear Friends,
Many of you know that Brazil is in the middle of hosting the World Cup Soccer Championship games. As I write this letter, Brazil’s national team is headed to the semi-final game against Germany where one of the finalists will be decided to play in the final for the World Championship. As you can imagine, the whole country is super excited and there are numerous venues where people meet in large groups to watch the games on huge outdoor screens.
During these events we have been able to take advantage of the gatherings to present the gospel of Jesus Christ. On four game days we took our Projeto Vida teams to distribute free bottled water and gospel tracts in several languages to these venues. We had the opportunity to share the gospel with visitors from several Muslim nations also, since their teams were playing in our city and there were thousands of fans here from those countries. We hope to have planted some seeds of faith through the sharing of God’s word in these people’s lives.
Early in the month of June we hosted a youth group from Phoenix, AZ. There were around 25 teenagers with us for a week taking the gospel to the public schools and parks around our city. On the first day they were here they helped us cook for and feed over 200 homeless people in the inner city. Before, during and after the meal we interacted with these poor folks, sharing the gospel and sharing our time with them and loving on them with the love of Christ. We are partnering with a pastor from Chile who feels called of God to minister continually with these people on a week by week basis. Also, we are organizing volunteers from our church to help with the preparation of the food and serving it to them with a word of hope.
Tomorrow our new church is celebrating its 3rd anniversary. We are extremely grateful to the Lord for how He has blessed us. We started with 8 in attendance and we now have a regular attendance between 65-85 on any given Sunday. Those that the Lord has added to us are growing spiritually and we trust that this growth will lead to more people coming to Christ and to the church.
Charlene and I want to thank you for your faithful prayers and offerings so that we may continue to use our lives to reach these folks for Christ. May the Lord bless you for your faithfulness and generosity.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby and Charlene Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279-1
Sobrado 1, Bairro Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR Brasil
(813)481-7007
bobbymichael_1@hotmail.com
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Missionary Update: The Tates in Kenya [July 2014]
The Tate Family has served the Lord in Kitale, Kenya since January 2008. Their main ministry is indigenous church planting.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I wish I were a better missionary. I read about past missionaries and how they triumphed over their adversities and managed to accomplish so much even in the midst of great trials and troubles. I talk to current day missionaries and hear all about their exploits and of all the advances they are making in the Kingdom of Christ. I hear of all the great things God is doing in their ministries and I wish I could be experiencing those advances and great things myself. It is hard not to compare one’s own progress with that of others, and I recognize this is not wise, yet I still do it. More than that, I mostly recognize my own shortcomings and failings as a missionary and it makes me wish I were more usable in the hands of God. I wish it for the advancement of the Kenyan people.
I wish I were a better Christian and follower of Jesus. I wish I loved him more and followed him with greater zeal and passion. I talk with other Christians and, while they struggle the same as me, they seem to grow and progress while my relationship with God seems to flounder. I look into my heart and wonder why it is so dull, passionless and lifeless sometimes. Why do I struggle so much to surrender everything to Christ? Why does my heart want its own thing and its own way? Why can I not progress in my faith like I wish I could?
I wish I were a better humanitarian. Others care so much for the plight of their fellow human beings. They give their lives to care for widows and orphans, to feed the hungry and defend the defenseless. I look at the plight of my fellow man, and, while I care about their well-being, it doesn’t move me to action the way that it should.
I wish I were a better husband and father.
I wish I were a better friend.
Please forgive me, I am NOT whining, grumbling or complaining at all. I just look at my heart and it is not where I want it to be. I want God to do a greater work in my heart. I want to be a wholly surrendered servant under His grace and mercy. I want this so that the Kenyan people can know Christ, so that my family and friends can know Christ, so that the world can know Christ, and so that my own heart can know Christ more. But I am “confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in me will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”. I pray it for my own life. And I pray for it in your life too.
Until next month, beloved.
May God’s peace and joy be with you.
For the glory of God in East Africa,
Roger & Julie Tate (and Emily, Amy, & Josiah)
rojuta[at]gmail.com
Visit their blog!
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Missionary Update: Paul & Wanda Hatcher on Furlough from Brazil [July 2014]
Paul and Wanda Hatcher have been serving the Lord together in Brazil since 1974. Paul pastors Tabernacle Baptist Church in Manaus, Brazil. Their main ministry is church planting.
Dear Friends, June 30, 2014
Thanks to our good Lord for all His provisions. We are all doing well; we had a blessed month. We visited the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Mims, Florida, and had a great time of fellowship with Pastor David Humphries. Dad shared about the mission work in Brazil during the Sunday School hour, and, I preached in the morning service. After the service, there was a fellowship meal; we had a great time talking to the brethren, and the food was delicious. We are thankful for those who lift us up in prayer and faithfully contribute to missions.
The Lord gave us the opportunity to receive visits from family from Brazil – my brother, David, and his wife, Pennie; my sister, Kathy; our daughter, Michelle, and our grandson, Luke. It is great to have special time with family. We always have a good time of joy and celebration for all God is doing.
We also received a visit from a couple of families from the church in Manaus who were in the Orlando area for few days. It’s good to hear and to talk about the stories of God’s interaction in our lives and in the lives of our friends.
During June and July the world soccer cup has all Brazil in a state of high emotions and, of course, the expectation of winning. Several of the soccer games were hosted in Manaus. Everything comes to a standstill on game days. Several of the churches had special rallies and evangelistic outreach for the sports enthusiasts. Pray for all those who professed their faith in Christ during this season, that they may grow in the Lord and be steadfast.
Concerning our prayer request last month, Pastor Adolfo Escote, pastor of the Second Baptist Church of Santa Etelvina, in Manaus, who had retina displacement in both eyes, is much improved; there is still a minor displacement, however, the doctors have let him return to work. We thank our father for His goodness so richly and abundantly supplied to Pastor Adolfo and his family.
God bless each of you. Thanks for your prayer and faithful support to the work of missions; may God be your great reward. We pray for you that your remembrance and knowledge of our Lord, the only true God, may abundantly increase, that your trust and faith in him may be steadfast in all things, and that the love of the Spirit may fill and overflow in your every word and action with thanksgiving to God through Jesus Christ our only Lord and Life.
Love, Paul and Wanda
Paul and Wanda Hatcher
rphatcher[at]gmail.com
615 Key West Avenue
Davenport, Fl 33897-6300
(239)227-6551
Click here to give.
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Mission Sheets: June 2014 [PDF]
Your June 2014 Mission Sheet is now available in PDF format. Follow the link below to view it!
BFM Mission Sheets – June 2014
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